FSF submits comment in USTR Special 301 Review

The Special 301 Review is a process that the USTR undertakes every
year to review the enactment and enforcement of copyright, patent, and
trademark laws throughout the world. The office then produces a
report placing countries on a Watch List—or even a Priority
Watch List—if the USTR feels the laws and enforcement aren't
forceful enough.

Traditionally, this process has been tailor-made for the big copyright
industries. They submit long comments detailing exactly how they want
other countries to be as deferential to them as ours is. As a result,
the final report has been a diplomatic tool that the U.S. government
uses to encourage foreign countries to enact laws that are as
outrageously bad for freedom as its own, like longer terms for
copyright protection and DMCA-like legislation.

Our comment tells the USTR that this cycle can't go on. These laws
compel computer users into making unethical choices and hinder the
development of free software worldwide. And that's bad for trade,
too: commerce suffers as device manufacturers are prevented from using
free software, and free software conferences move elsewhere to avoid
legal trouble for attendees. The USTR shouldn't be pushing for these
laws, whether through the Special 301 Report, trade agreements like
ACTA, or other means.

You can read our comment online. The deadline for
submitting comments has been extended to 5:00 PM US Eastern Time
(22:00 UTC) on February 18th, so if you haven't already submitted
anything, there's still time to have your say. Just follow the
instructions on the USTR site to let them know how
restrictive copyright laws hurt free software, and everyone suffers as
a result.